Frigid
by Dragonfly-Moonlight
Summary: He always felt cold, and he couldn't understand why. ONESHOT. implied Eiri x Yuki. Eiri x Shuichi. ? x ?


The temperature had dropped, almost drastically. Shuichi felt as if he'd been placed in an icebox rather than having stepped into his and Eiri's bedroom. Immediately, he checked the thermostat, something Eiri had told him to do every time the temperature "changed."

Whenever it felt cold, Shuichi had a tendency to turn the heat up so he could feel warm again. Unfortunately, the novelist ended up sweating the moment he walked in the door because of it and would turn the thermostat back to where it had been before. After the fifth time, Eiri had made it clear to Shuichi he was not to touch the thermostat unless it was truly cold in the apartment and outside as well. He didn't appreciate the heat being cranked up when it wasn't necessary.

It was also after the fifth time Shuichi had turned up the heat Eiri decided a visit to the doctor might be in order. The novelist had known a few people who were constantly cold because of an iron deficiency. If it were true then it would be a simple matter of Shuichi taking iron pills and the problem would be corrected.

The trip to the doctor had been a week ago, and tests had been ordered. The results had come in the other day, and, according to them, there was nothing wrong with the vocalist. It was then suggested he see a psychiatrist. The problem, obvioiusly, was in Shuich's head. Eiri had slammed the phone down, muttering curses at the man the entire time.

Shuichi tucked his fingers under his arms as he checked the thermostat then frowned. It read the same as it had the last time he'd checked, but he was still cold. Either the thermostat was wrong or the doctor hadn't run enough tests on him. It was freezing!

Shaking his head, he walked away from the dial and towards the bed. Since he couldn't turn the heat up, he'd have to crawl under the blankets to keep warm until his lover returned.

--

Dark eyes gazed at the slender form as it crawled under the large, down comforter, shivering the entire time. A cruel grin touched the man's features as he watched.

He hated the young man before him. He truly, utterly despised the youth. It was because of the young man, Eiri no longer loved him. The novelist had moved on, found someone else to love, and Yuki hated it. He wanted all of Eiri's love and affection for himself. Granted, Yuki didn't love Eiri and really never had, but he had enjoyed the attention the novelist had bestowed upon him. Yuki had loved it when Eiri's eyes would stare at him in complete adoration. It had made him feel revered.

He no longer had that, thanks to one Shindou Shuichi.

Yuki tilted his head as he continued to watch the vocalist. Of course, he could partially see why Eiri had fallen in love with the twerp. Shuichi was passionate, caring, loving, loyal, and, most of all, honest. He'd wanted only Eiri's love and affection, and had won them. Yuki had finally decided to make his displeasure about the situation known, but knew he had to be careful when around Eiri and his younger brother, Tatsuha. Both were trained monks, and it wouldn't do any good to show up with them around. They'd exorcise him in a heartbeat, and he couldn't have that.

As he stared at the dark-haired youth, Yuki started to wonder. He wondered what else Eiri saw in the young man. He'd managed to hide his presence once and had observed them in the bedroom. It had been quite the sight . . . and sound. Half of Tokyo had to have heard the singer that night. There had to be more, right? He would just have to sample Shuichi for himself to find out for sure.

He crossed the room to the bed and sat down next to the singer, touching one hand to Shuich's forehead. It felt so cool and so smooth under his hand, and Yuki smiled. Pleasant to the touch was another thing he filed away in his mind. Then he closed his eyes and leaned in closer for a kiss . . .

--

Eiri pulled his keys out of his pocket, letting out a weary sigh in the process. It had been another long day, one filled with guest appearances, a book signing, and a meeting with Mizuki. He wanted nothing more than to simply get home and relax. Well, relax as much as possible. With Shuichi around, it was rather hard to do at times.

Shuichi.

The moment he thought of the vocalist, he frowned. There was something going on with his lover, something serious. Shuichi often complained about being cold, and had turned up the thermostat several times because of it. Eiri had thought it was an iron deficiency at first, but a blood test had denied the possibility. The doctor had suggested it was probably in Shuichi's mind, the singer becoming a hypochondriac, and he knew of a few good psychiatrists the youth could see.

Eiri had called the man a moron and hung up the phone.

It was something more than psychological. Eiri felt it in the pit of his stomach, but just couldn't name what it was. Maybe a trip to Kyoto was in order. His father would be able to tell what was wrong with Shuichi . . . other than the singer's usual sporatic behaviour.

As he unlocked the door and stepped inside, Eiri knew right away something was wrong. The apartment was too quiet and it felt . . . cold, like the temperature _had_ dropped. It was bizarre to say the very least.

"Welcome home, Eiri."

The novelist nearly jumped out of his skin at the soft tone of Shuicih's voice then forced himself to relax, silently berating himself. Naturally, the vocalist would be there. The two of them lived together, and it was well beyond time for Shuichi to be home.

It didn't explain why the apartment was so quiet, though, or why it was cold. Shooting his lover an irritated glare, Eiri stalked towards the thermostat.

"You've been messing with the thermostat again, haven't you?" Eiri inquired, glancing at the dial.

"No. You told me not to unless I had to so I didn't," his lover replied in that same quiet tone.

"Then why is it set at a different temperature?" He turned to level a glare at Shuichi. The younger man stared impassively at him. Alarm bells started to go off in the back of Eiri's mind. There was something wrong with Shuichi. The vocalist had not pounced on him in the usual form of greeting, and Eiri found it disturbing. He also felt it to be frustrating to know there was something wrong, but couldn't quite indentify what it was.

"I don't know. Maybe we should have the landlord check it."

With that, Shuichi walked by him and Eiri couldn't help but shiver as the singer did. The air around his lover felt cold, as if Shuichi had submersed himself in ice water.

"Shuichi . . ."

"Yes, Eiri?"

The singer paused, amethyst eyes landing on him. He found the words sticking in his throat as he gazed at Shuichi and as little alarms continued to go off in the back of his mind. Something was _not_ right.

"Are . . . are you all right?"

A thin smile spread over Shuichi's lips. He shook his head 'no' as he replied, "Yeah. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"


End file.
